Baltimore lost linebackers Paul Kruger and Dannell Ellerbe, wideout Anquan Boldin and cornerback Bernard Pollard and, as of Thursday afternoon, appeared set to say goodbye to safety Ed Reed. And those losses came on the heels of Ray Lewis' retirement.

And Cincinnati re-signed defensive ends Wallace Gilberry and Robert Geathers while losing underused linebacker Manny Lawson to the Dolphins. The Bengals have so far stayed out of the buyer's market.

All of this means the Browns have the opportunity to close the gap between themselves and the division's other three teams.

They took a step in that direction by signing Kruger to a beefed-up defense that also welcomes two other newcomers in lineman Desmond Bryant and linebacker Quentin Groves. All three could become important pieces in new coordinator Ray Horton's overhauled 3-4 look.

With the Ravens and Steelers in transition and the Bengals failing so far to make any significant upgrades, the Browns, at this point, are the AFC North's most improved team.

That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that the Browns went into free agency with less overall talent on their roster than the rest of the division.

But, as we've seen in recent NFL seasons, it doesn't necessarily take multiple offseasons to effect meaningful turnarounds.

With the draft five weeks out, it's fair to say the Browns can turn their attention to the offensive side of the ball.

They'll need to decide whether to select yet another quarterback, whether to spend a high pick on a receiver or wait for the June 1 cuts to perhaps pluck a veteran wideout, and how many draft picks to spend on improving their offensive line.

But ask yourself this: When was the last time the Browns went into the draft without significantly more needs than the Steelers or Ravens?

It's been awhile.

Pittsburgh needs to add depth at cornerback, linebacker, along the offensive line and possibly at receiver.

Baltimore has needs across its defense, notably at the back end, particularly so if Reed doesn't return.

Under the new Joe Banner/Mike Lombardi/Rob Chudzinski brain trust, the Browns appear to slowly be removing the stigma of losing that has made it difficult for the franchise to attract free agents, and has forced the Browns to overpay when they've managed to land them. One example was the $7 million they gave Jake Delhomme to throw for 872 yards in 2010. Scott Fujita, so far, is another.

Getting the 27-year-old Kruger, a young player on the rise from the reigning Super Bowl champs for perhaps less than market value, is a sign Cleveland is again becoming an attractive destination.

But the Browns' work is only half done. While Pittsburgh typically shies away from the free-agent shopping season, both the Steelers and Ravens -- and in recent years the Bengals -- have consistently outperformed Cleveland in the draft.

The Browns are poised to emerge as the AFC North's big winners in March. But history suggests they'll still need to come out ahead of their division rivals in April to have the best chance at ensuring success.